Diabetes Annual Review
If you have a diagnosis of type 1 or type 2 diabetes, you are entitled to a check-up every year at your GP surgery. This is often called the diabetes annual review. This will usually involve two separate appointments. One appointment to complete the following:
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Measure your height and weight
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Ask whether you smoke
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Blood tests - to check your HbA1c (sugar level), kidneys and cholesterol
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Urine sample - to check if your diabetes is affecting your kidneys
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Foot check - to check for nerve damage (neuropathy), poor circulation (ischaemia), or skin problems
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Blood pressure
As Diabetes can also affect your vision you are entitled to attend diabetic eye screening appointments. These appointments are different from eye tests at your local opticians. You should be invited for regular diabetic eye screening from Diabetic Eye Screening Wales (DESW) every 1-2 years. If you haven’t been invited to attend diabetic eye screening, then ask your practice nurse to refer you to DESW. For more information about diabetes eye screening click here.
0:00 Before I started attending my diabetes annual reviews, I didn't really realize how
0:07 important they were. I used to think it was just another appointment or a repeat of some hospital checks, but it actually has been really helpful. I now
0:14 understand why the GP practice do their own diabetes tests. We go through all the important checks in the review, yes,
0:21 but what I really value is how the nurse explains my results in a way that actually makes sense. I don't feel rushed. We talk about what's going well,
0:29 where I've struggled, and what I can work on. It feels like a genuine conversation that helps me feel more in control of my own diabetes. It reminds
0:36 me that I'm not managing my diabetes alone. The team at my GP practice is there supporting me every step of the way, and that peace of mind makes a huge difference.